Merry Little Happenings
by Aileil
Summary: This is a series of one-shots dealing with the little everyday happenings that were not mentioned in the book or depicted in the movie to speak of. Really, one does wonder what happened while they sat around a fire, rode their ponies, or stood watch...
1. Chapter 1

**Of Sitting at Campfires**

It was a slightly chilled evening, not long after the company had left The Shire. The country surrounding them was green and full of rolling hills. Trees occasionally popped up and spread their limbs, and it was near one of these that they chose to make camp for the night. The ponies had been secured, packs had been slung to the ground, bedding had been laid out carefully, a cheerful fire had been started in the middle of the circle of beds, some largish rocks and logs had been dragged around the fire to be used as seats, and all seemed well.

"So who's going to cook?" Oin pipped up. And now that he had mentioned it everyone felt rather silly that they hadn't gotten 'round to deciding little schedules like that just yet. For that matter, they hadn't organized a watch yet. Nor had they decided who should feed and groom the ponies. It was truly amazing how little things like that could slip through the cracks when one was planning for a rather large scale adventure.

"Well," Bilbo spoke up, "I could cook tonight, if no one else minds that is." A little bit timid in his offer because he didn't really know them all that well yet.

Nori shifted uncomfortably at that and said "Well that would hardly be fair to you. You cooked for us last night, in your home. You shouldn't have to take two turns in a row."

"I don't mind, really." Bilbo assured him. "I'm not certain what else I could do and I would like to be of some use rather than tagging along like a sack of apples!"

"If that's your only concern than Bofur can cook and you can take one of the watches." suggested Gloin.

That apparently flawless solution was quickly argued by Fili. "No, that'll hardly work! There's fourteen of us, not counting Gandalf. And not that many hours in a night. We should have seven double watches so that everyone who has to be awake will have some company so they don't wind up bored stiff." He saw Balin looking like he wanted to interrupt so he forged ahead quickly. "That would also mean two people looking for possible threats and two people ready to wake us if something bad did happen." he finished breathlessly, and with no small sense of triumph.

After much discussion it was finally decided that Kili's idea really was the best one. This set off an equally complicated tiff about who would be paired with whom for the watches. Finally, Thorin was paired with Balin, Bifur was paired with Bofur, Dwalin was paired with Bombur (strongest with the slowest being the reasoning behind that), Fili and Kili were of course paired (subject to change if they were caught tying people into their blankets), Dori went with Nori, Oin was paired with Gloin, and Ori was paired with Bilbo.

The dwarves looked around triumphantly, to make sure they had Bilbo's approval on his watch partner, only to discover him sitting by the fire stirring a luscious looking stew. In response to their puzzled looks he stated "Well, you were arguing about the watch. And while it is all very well and good to get that settled it seemed that by the time a cook had been chosen supper time would have come and gone without any notice." he looked at them as if daring them to contradict him.

Once the meal had been eaten the dwarves expressed their deep appreciation. Upon standing to retreat to their bed rolls Dwalin found himself falling face first to the ground while Fili and Kili burst out laughing, Bilbo tried (and failed) to hide a smile, and the rest of the dwarves simply gaped. When the finally got the twine off of his boots it was decided that Fili, Kili, or Bilbo must have put it there in the first place since they had been the only ones to express amusement at his predicament. They all denied it emphatically and it was finally given up with a glare at them all and a stern warning not to do it again.

As they all returned to their beds Bilbo sighed contentedly. Maybe adventures weren't so bad after all.


	2. Chapter 2

**Of Pony Rides and Conversation**

The ground had grown steadily more rocky since their departure from Hobbiton and they had slowed their pace for the sake of their poor beasts of burden. Despite the roughness of the terrain, however, the land about them held a kind of wild beauty. The sky was clear, except for the occasional bird taking flight. The sun shown like polished brass on land that looked like a sculpture of the sea. Rocks rose like small, lapping waves, and green grass rippled slightly in the wind giving a little magic to the picture.

However, the beauty of the scene was nearly completely lost on our small company. Most of them were grumbling about sore feet and the heat. And even Gandalf was beginning to get a headache (though he suspected it had more to do with their constant chatter than the sun and told them so quite irritably). Only Bilbo and some of the younger dwarves had retained much cheer at all and were endeavoring to pass the time pleasantly. They were playing a game where one person made up a situation and asked how one would stay amused in it, rather than looking at their own.

"All right, my turn." Bilbo said thoughtfully. "If you were stuck in a cellar with only some twine what would you do?"

Kili piped up "Would anyone else be there?"

"No, that's sort of the the point of saying '_only_ some twine'." Bilbo answered with an eyeroll.

"What sort of floor does the cellar have?" inquired Fili, as if it made the slightest difference.

"Dirt" Bilbo answered promptly.

"Well then, that's easy." said Fili.

"You just draw pictures in the dirt with your fingers!" announced Kili, happily interrupting his brother.

"What about the twine?" demanded Bilbo.

"What about it?" Fili asked, not to annoyed by the stealing of his thunder. "You asked how _**we**_ would entertain ourselves, using everything available was never a requirement."

"I know, but it's a waste of perfectly good twine!" insisted Bilbo. "You should at least do _**something**_ with it before you start drawing in the dirt!"

Here Balin, who had been listening to the whole exchange with great amusement, broke in. "Knowing them," he nodded at Fili and Kili, "they'd run the twine across the cellar's entrance so whoever came to their rescue would fall down into the cellar as well. Then they'd play in the dirt." He said this as if he'd had some experience, but Bilbo decided it might be wiser not to ask.

"Since we answered yours, it's our turn to ask you one." remarked Kili ponderously.

"If you were stuck in a cave with some boards what would you do?" wondered Fili.

"Oh that's a good one!" Kili exclaimed happily.

"How would I be stuck? Would the entrance be covered with rocks, would I be restrained somehow, what?" Bilbo countered.

"The entrance would be covered with rocks." The brothers declared after some deliberation.

"Then I'd use the boards to lever the rock out of the entrance and go away." Bilbo determined.

"You're supposed to _**entertain**_ yourself in the cave, not escape it!" cried Kili, distraught at such a dismissal of their wonderful idea.

"That would be the most entertainment I could get out of such a situation, I assure you." returned Bilbo. "Trapped in...a...a..a...cave! With only a few boards! Really! How can you expect some one the amuse themselves in such a horrific situation _**without **_trying to escape?"

The ensuing 'discussion' of whether the game had rules, and is so, was Bilbo following them faded into the background for many of the other dwarves, who had resigned themselves to such goings on. Dori leaned over and muttered to Nori "I know how _**we**_ could amuse ourselves." He paused for a response, and getting none he decided to continue. "We could get one of the water skins, uncap it, and throw it at them. There's a stream coming up soon, so we wouldn't really be wasting water."

Nori brightened considerably at the thought and whispered back "Let's get three." The two schemers looked up to find Gandalf watching them intently. They gulped and began to say they wouldn't really do anything when he said something that surprised them. "Would you like the water any special color?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Of Night Watches**

The company had stopped for the night. The land around them was rocky and harsh. The sky was a cold, blue shade with dark clouds rolling across the moon and blocking much of its welcome light. It was not the pleasantest of nights. The watches had been assigned to the various teams and Ori and Bilbo had been unfortunate to catch the watch in the middle of the night. No one wanted that watch.

"Come on, hobbit!" A slightly too cheerful voice woke Bilbo. "It's time for us to start our watch."

"I really don't understand how this can possibly be a good thing." Bilbo grumbled as he got out of his warm blankets. "By the time we're done with our watch our beds will be cold because this is the absolute coldest part of the night, which is another reason to still be in bed."

Ori looked at him, slightly perplexed. He had shared all his watched with the hobbit and noticed that his companion's moods changed greatly, especially with the different watched they would get. He preferred it when Bilbo was cheery and they could just talk about things they liked or had done. But this watch was shaping up to be a rather one-sided complaint. "Look at it this way, Bilbo. We aren't far enough into unfriendly country to be attacked, probably, and if we are attacked you'll get some practice with that sword-dagger thing of yours and I get to use my slingshot."

The look on Bilbo's face quickly told him that Bilbo didn't think he'd said anything comforting or cheering. "If we _**don't**_ get attacked we will probably still be rained on." He began, gesturing at the sky. "And it we are attacked I will be shiskabobbed before I have a chance to get any 'practice'." He finished a little grumpily.

"No you wouldn't." Ori said, as if it made perfect sense. "Don't forget, I have my slingshot." he finished, grinning.

Bilbo could tell he was trying to make him feel better (he had shared watches with him for a _long_ time now, and he never seemed to stop being cheerful) so he decided to drop the matter and turn the conversation to something a little more pleasant. "I have wondered for a while now, all the other dwarves have big axes or something sharp like that, why do you have a slingshot?"

Ori shifted a little uncomfortably, like he was embarrassed. "Well, as you know, I never lived in Erebor. I grew up learning how to make toys and small household machines. All the dwarves, except Fili and Kili, are older than me and grew up learning how to fight with ancient dwarven weapons. And Fili and Kili had Thorin around and couldn't have learned anything else." he paused and saw Bilbo's eager face looking at him, fascinated. He briefly thought that he looked just like the children he used to make toys for and then he continued. "Anyway, when I was little I made a slingshot and practiced with it for a very long time, whenever my slingshot would get to small for me I would make a new one. When Thorin asked for volunteers it was the only weapon I could wield to speak of. I've gotten much better with others. " He finished, a little defiantly.

"That's...Amazing. Really, it is." Bilbo was looking at him with something akin to awe on his face. "Since you've been learning lately as well, do you think you could teach me how to use my sword?"

"If you really want me to, of course." Ori replied.

Further conversation was interrupted when Bilbo caught a very faint sound. Ori started to say something and Bilbo hushed him, trying to catch the sound again. Suddenly, he found himself with a bucket over his head and water everywhere. From the sounds he guessed that Ori had suffered a similar fate. When he finally wrestled the bucket off of his head he saw Fili and Kili doubled over laughing and Ori still struggling with his own bucket.

When he'd managed to help Ori out of his bucket he turned to the two mirthful dwarves and asked "What precisely was that for!?"

"Fun!" They replied simultaneously. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to sneak along a branch quietly enough so you won't hear?" Fili asked, a little put out.

"We almost had to abort several times because you kept starting a little, like you'd heard something!" Kili added.

"But _why_ were you trying to duck us in the first place!?" Bilbo inquired, shouting now. He really didn't like being wet in the middle of the very cold night.

"To see if we could." Fili answered.

"I don't see how this night could possibly get any worse." Bilbo grumbled looking up a little at the sky.

As if someone up their thought it was a challenge a loud clap of thunder rang out and it started to rain, much to the dismay of them all.


	4. Chapter 4

**Of Travel and Talk**

The company was traveling, at the moment, without a wizard. And, more unfortunately, without ponies. This led to much in the way of grumbling amongst them which only succeeded in annoying them all further. Even the terrain seemed determined to make this leg of their journey as miserable as possible. It was just smooth and grassy enough to lull one into a sense of security, and then a rock would find its way up out of the ground and in front of one's foot. This usually resulted in more grumbling on the part of the owner of the foot. In short, they were not specially happy at this time.

They continued on their cheerless way, when suddenly the stillness was broken by a hiss from their burglar as his foot struck a rock. This was followed by a sharp yelp when he lost his balance and tumbled backwards into the dwarf behind him who was also unable to regain his balance and soon all the dwarves behind Bilbo (which was most of them) had been knocked over like so many dominoes. And their packs had popped open sending the smaller items flying everywhere, and into everyone.

After everyone had picked themselves up Bofur spoke up "It's not going to be easy to find all our gear around here. The small things will be hiding under every rock and plant around. And it would be just our luck if sprites or brownies were to live around here."

While the dwarves agreed about the difficulty of finding their possessions again mot of them laughed at the idea of faye creatures residing in the area, especially considering they hadn't shown up yet. This was said with many winks and elbow nudges, but Bilbo didn't notice that and asked "What are sprites and brownies?"

The dwarves stared at him in shock. Nori asked the question first. "You don't know what sprites and brownies are?" Their shock was beginning to wear off and most of them were inclined to laugh at this odd lapse in their new friend's knowledge.

"Well if I did I wouldn't be asking, now would I?!" Bilbo asked, a little annoyed with them.

"Well," Bofur began, "Sprites are small winged people, no bigger than your hand. They are said to play tricks on people who disturb them or poke them with their sharp wands until they go away. Brownies, on the other hand, are small earth dwellers who will put spells on their homes and the surrounding area to cause rashes and similar problems for potential intruders."

"But they're not real, everyone knows that!" Kili piped up after a short conference with Fili.

"They're just legends made up to liven up travelers' tales. No one has ever actually encountered either before." Fili added.

"Well, just because no one has seen them doesn't mean their not real." said Nori with a wink at Bofur.

"Um, that doesn't seem...too bad." Bilbo said uncomfortably aware of being the center of attention. "Just pricks and rashes, after all one can get worse hanging pictures and gardening." Though Bilbo did wonder if magical pricks and rashes might not be worse than ordinary ones.

By this time they had mostly finished gathering up their scattered items when Bilbo suddenly yelped very loudly and jumped nearly twice his height in the air. "I just was pricked!" he exclaimed, worry tinging his voice.

"No, you're just imagining things after all that talk of sprites." Bofur said. "They're not real you know." He continued, trying to sound comforting.

"I am not imagining things, look!" Bilbo said indignantly, showing them the tiny drop of blood on the back of his hand.

"I expect you caught it on some brush while you were searching." Balin suggested reasonably. Though a few of the dwarves were shifting uncomfortably, not entirely sure of the mythical status of such creatures. And soon a discussion (argument) broke about about whether it was a fireside tale to keep children from wandering or if such things really existed. This argument stopped abruptly when Fili and Kili could no longer contain their laughter and gave themselves away. The fact that their packs contained the sewing supplies for patching trousers and shirts did not help their case in the least.

Thorin was not at all amused by the proceedings and made his displeasure known quite vocally. "As if it were not enough that we had to stop to redo our packing," he glared a little at Bilbo here, "you two found it necessary to bring up bedtime stories!" He sighed and stomped off back to the lead of their company and the stared to walk again. Fili and Kili, feeling suitably chastised went to the back and stayed quiet for a little while until Bofur broke the silence yet again. "Well, sprites and brownies don't exist maybe; but will o' the wisps do for certain."

Thorin let out a small groan and resigned himself to his fate, trying very hard to ignore the heated discussion going on behind him.


End file.
